DEVELOPMENT OF BOAT BUILDING INDUSTRY AND DELAYS BY TRC
Posted on March 3rd, 2018
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Chairman
Export Development Board
DEVELOPMENT OF BOAT BUILDING INDUSTRY AND DELAYS BY TRC
Dear Madam ,
Walkers Colombo Shipyard Ltd , has been successful in attracting boat building orders for local as well as foreign clients .Our operation in Galle and Trincomalee is also actively involved in building and repair fishing vessels for local and foreign customers .
Currently we are building two numbers Tug boats to be used during our repair operations. These tugs will be used in coastal area for communication with vessels hence related equipment should be installed on board.
Any import of such equipment requires clearance by Sri Lanka Navy , Director Merchant Shipping and TRC (Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka:)and Sri Lanka Customs .
We noted that it takes over three months to get clearance from all above four organization to import communication equipment for the boats built in Sri Lanka.
1. In order to obtain clearance from the Sri Lanka Customs ,we are compelled to obtain a Letter from Sri Lanka Navy , Director Merchant Shipping ( DMS) and Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC ) .
2. This process takes over three months .
3. As a first step, a letter by DMS is required to be issued to TRC recommending import of the communication equipment .
4. DMS requires a letter from the Classification Society under whose regulation the boat is built
5. Classification Society does not issue a latter until boat building is completed to Class requirement ..
6. Once DMS issues a letter recommending the type of communication, TRC takes over two months to issue a letter to Ministry of Defense ( MOD) allowing us to clear the units from Customs.
As you may note ,such bureaucratic long procedure is hampering deployment of the boats ,pleasure crafts and Yahcts etc in Sri Lankan Waters ,thus depriving the generation of much needed foreign currency
I request you to take this matter up at OCEM and CECM and NEC and provide redress with a view of expediting the approvals .
Thanking You
